Kaylee had two nights to compose herself before Eddy came home. But all that went to crap the moment his car pulled up the driveway.

After receiving a text from him that his plane had landed at the South Lake Tahoe airport, she’d gone outside and waited on the front steps. The drive from the airport to her parents’ place was short, and she’d needed the fresh air.

But instead of remaining calm, as soon as he opened the car door, she blurted, “What happened with the woman inside Club Tahoe’s lounge?”

Smooth. Nice way to confront your fiancé.

Eddy had been smiling when he saw her, but his smile died a quick death.

He reached across the seat and grabbed his briefcase, then stepped out of the car and shut the car door behind him. “What’s going on, Kaylee? You’ve never been the jealous type. I don’t like having to justify my every step.”

She stood and crossed her arms as he approached. “Not your every step. Just the one night. I’m assuming it was the night before you left town?” He started to move past her, and she threw her arm out. “Answer the question, Eddy.”

He let out a harsh sigh. “Really? We’re going to do this now? I haven’t even taken off my jacket.”

She held his stare, and his gaze flickered away. “If you really want to know, women sometimes throw themselves at me. It happens to a lot of guys. But I’m committed to you. I want to build a life with you.” He tried to reach for her, and she stepped back.

“Did. You. Touch. Her.”

“Maybe.” He tugged at his collar and ran a finger between the fabric and his skin. “I can’t remember. We’d been drinking. Either way, she was all over me.”

“Did you walk outside with her?”

His gaze darted to the side. “No, never.”

Kaylee fell back a step. He was lying. The bastard. “Get out.”

“What?” A flash of desperation filled his eyes. “Kaylee, don’t be stupid.”

Stupid? Yeah, she’d been stupid. Believing Eddy. “You’re lying. Even if I couldn’t read it on your face, people saw you. They told me what happened.”

His nostrils flared. “Who the fuck…” He shook his head and attempted to smile, but it was too late. She’d seen the anger in his eyes—because he’d been caught. “It doesn’t matter what anyone says. So I talked to another woman. Big deal. You’re not perfect either. I’ve seen the way you look at your golf instructor. You can’t tell me nothing’s going on there.”

She swallowed, her throat the consistency of cardboard. “Actually, I can. I know Wes from college, but we don’t have a physical relationship.”

“I bet it was him,” Eddy snarled. “He’s the one filling your head with lies. You trust that guy over your own fiancé? You’re the one who doesn’t know about commitment. I’ve been there for you. I’m the one who wants you, even though you’ll never be able to give me a kid.” He scanned her body in disgust.

Kaylee’s mouth parted in shock. He’d never been so cruel. But then, he’d been lying about everything, hadn’t he?

Eddy was sterile. He couldn’t have children either, regardless of her infertility. What he said was nonsense. “Wes is a friend from my past. We dated in college, but there’s nothing going on between us.”

“Yeah, right. How many times have you fucked him?”

She shook her head. “I can’t believe I ever agreed to marry you.”

She grabbed the purse she’d brought onto the steps and pulled out her keys. She’d already set the flashy engagement ring he’d given her on the nightstand where he’d find it. Good thing too, or she might have thrown it at him. “The wedding is off. Grab your things and be out of my house within the hour.” She pinned him with a glare. She’d never wanted to hit anyone before, but she wanted to hit Eddy. “If you’re still here when I return, I’m calling the police.”

Kaylee didn’t know what the police could do. It wasn’t like Eddy had committed a crime. But she might commit murder if he was still here when she got back.

Eddy’s face turned a mottled red, his hands clenched into fists. For a moment, she feared he’d run after her. “The place in San Francisco is mine. Had it put in my name. If you leave me, you’ll be homeless. You have no friends. And that golf pro is going to dump you once he finds out you’re a bag of tits with no oven.”

Kaylee glanced at the beautiful woods and the house that she loved so much. “Better here than anywhere near you.”

Eddy flung his briefcase at the side of the house. “Fucking barren bitch. You’ll regret this!”

Kaylee spun and hurried to her car. She opened the door and lunged inside, fumbling with the keys. When the ignition turned over, she tore out of the driveway.

A mile down the main road, she pulled over and leaned across the seats, head out the passenger-side door. She heaved onto the side of the road. Nothing came up because she hadn’t eaten since yesterday, but that didn’t stop her stomach from roiling.

Another violent retch stole her breath and she gasped, tears streaming down her face. Eddy was the man she’d promised to share her life with. He was horrible, and she’d chosen him. That piece of shit.

Maybe if she hadn’t been running so fast from her past, she wouldn’t have jumped into the arms of a pathological liar.

---

Wes scratched his neck forcefully. “Son of a bitch.”

He tossed his club in his golf bag and hauled it onto his shoulder. He’d practiced at the crack of dawn, like he’d been doing every day these last two months, then put in a few hours of lessons with clients. Afterward, it was back to the range for another two hours of practice. He would have stayed past dark, putting and chipping and honing his skills for the qualifying tournament, but Kaylee hadn’t shown for her lesson this afternoon.

Wes had told Kaylee he didn’t want to see her again, but he hadn’t actually believed she’d stay away. She was having her wedding at his goddamned resort, after all. And then he’d seen her crying on her way out of the lobby yesterday.

Wes strode to the pro shop and lifted his chin at the cashier. “I’m heading out.” He set his golf bag behind the counter. “Close up tonight.”

The twenty-year-old cashier saluted Wes and went back to eating his energy bar.

The shop and course were slow this afternoon. And in general. Wes would have to do something about that. Find a way to make it more profitable for the club and help his brothers preserve their father’s legacy. But all of that could wait. At least for the rest of the evening.

Because Wes was heading out to find Kaylee.

Goddammit. Kaylee had caught him unawares, showing up at his club after four years. All he’d wanted was to discover her secrets and scoot her the hell out of his life. And here he was, going after her because she wasn’t around.

Kaylee had been upset yesterday. Given the information he had on her fiancé… Wes needed to know she was okay.

Because he was worried.

He hated that he was worried about his ex, but she wasn’t much of a crier. Kaylee was independent and chill most of the time, which was one of the things that had drawn him to her. She only cracked when deep shit went down. Like when they’d broken up.

So if she’d been crying yesterday and hadn’t shown today, when she never missed a lesson before, something was off. That was the reason he hopped into his car and headed for her parents’ cabin, cursing himself the entire way.

He should turn around. Go back. Thank his lucky stars she was staying away and move on with his life. But things still felt unfinished between them.

And he needed his mind cleared of anything having to do with Kaylee if he had any chance of making it through the qualifying rounds coming up.